Since the launch of the project, special attention has been paid to employment on the SEA HSL.

This major project naturally created many jobs. A study by the Utopies consulting firm to understand the impact of the 4-year construction project on local communities found that it directly created an average of 3,068 jobs per year during construction, with 9,000 jobs at the project’s peak. To ensure the project had a positive impact on economic development in the area, as many local workers as possible were hired. A third of the workforce along the entire route was recruited and trained locally thanks to a collaboration with several partners: the State, the Region, Pôle Emploi (France’s national employment agency), consular chambers, and trade unions.

During the operational phase, MESEA, the company that maintains the line, is particularly committed to training its maintenance operators. MESEA Academy trains MESA employees on maintenance and railway safety.

Fonds SEA pour la transition des territoires

In early 2021, the “Fonds SEA pour la transition des territoires” endowment fund will bring together the LISEA Biodiversity Foundation, the LISEA Carbon Foundation, and the “Sillon Solidaire” endowment fund since their commitments are nearing completion. This unique fund will allow LISEA to continue the work it began in 2012 to support local communities working on the ecological and social transition. In keeping with the approach taken by the foundations, the endowment fund will focus on creating long-term partnerships with local stakeholders to take advantage of their technical and scientific knowledge and their understanding of issues and needs in the area. The first call for projects will be launched in the first half of 2021, focusing on the agroecological transition and the challenges of social integration in the agricultural sector, which is directly affected by these issues and has a strong potential to contribute to economic integration.